


Get-To-Know-You Coffee

by orphan_account



Series: Trace and Ballistics [2]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Gen, Pre-OC/David Hodges, i am only slightly shameless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2015-11-16
Packaged: 2018-05-01 21:19:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5221178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happens directly after Season 7 Episode 18, "Empty Eyes". I know it actually takes several days or several weeks to solve an actual crime, but hey, it's fanfiction; I can bend the rules of time a little.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Get-To-Know-You Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Happens directly after Season 7 Episode 18, "Empty Eyes". I know it actually takes several days or several weeks to solve an actual crime, but hey, it's fanfiction; I can bend the rules of time a little.

Natalia slung her suede leather jacket over her shoulders, but then paused. The lab had just pulled a double, solving the multiple homoscide of six showgirls that lived under one roof. Since Nat was in ballistics, she didn't have much to do with the case, and in watching her fellow lab techs, she felt a twinge of guilt.

"Hey, Wendy, wait up," Nat called as the DNA Tech was about to leave the locker room.

The dark-haired woman turned. "What is it?"

"I, well...you guys just pulled a double that I didn't have anything to do with, so, I wanted to take my fellow lab techs out for coffee, as, you know, the newbie. I know, most of you probably just want to go home and sleep, but I wanted to offer," Nat finished sheepishly. Her words had fallen out in a disorganized jumble, but from Wendy's surprised expression, she probably got the idea.

Wendy actually smiled. "That's a great idea, Natalie. I'll see if I can talk the guys into it. You tell Mandy?"

Nat almost didn't have time to nod and smile in return when the aforementioned fingerprint analyst appeared behind Wendy. "Tell me what?" Mandy looked from Wendy to Nat, curious.

"I want to take the lab techs to coffee," Nat said without making eye-contact. "Sort of a get-to-know-you move with a let-me-do-you-a-favor built in. For the double you guys just pulled."

When Nat looked back up at her new coworker, Mandy smiled. "Sounds great. Not sure what the guys will say about it, though."

It was just that moment when Wendy returned. "Archie and Henry say sure, and Hodges said only if we're going to the usual place. I'll give you the address, Natalie."

"Then it unanimous," Nat summarized. "Nice. Is everyone driving separate?"

Wendy shook her head. "Mandy and I carpooled, I think Archie and Henry came together, and you and Hodges came alone."

Natalia narrowed her eyes, even as a smirk began to curl at her lips. "David's ride isn't the '03 dark blue Mustang convertible close to the entrance, is it?"

Wendy tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "Yeah. Why?"

Natalia let the grin unfurl across her face, even showing a small flash of teeth. "Nothing. Yet. I'll meet you guys there?"

Mandy and Wendy both nodded. Nat and Wendy swapped numbers, and a few moments later as Natalia was unlocking her red 2007 Ford Taurus, her phone vibrated in her pocket, probably Wendy with the directions.

The ballistics tech looked at the dark blue Mustang she had parked next to, shaking her head and smiling a little. Nat didn't know why, but she really liked David Hodges. It was like being the new kid in class and the teacher sits you next to the most sarcastic kid in the entire school. He makes you laugh and sometimes you snark back at him, to see what that does to someone so cool. So far, Natalia had only received smug smirks and a few impressed looks from David Hodges, but that was enough to make her irrationally like the guy.

Backing out, Natalia noticed David exiting the office out of the corner of her eye. She smiled at him, making sure to make eye contact and wink as she drove out of the parking garage.

|~|

The diner was a quiet little place, and Natalia fell in love with it in an instant. There were booths along the walls, and one large circular booth in the corner. There was a bar along the inner wall, and the entire room was lit by the sunlight through the windows and the hanging ceiling lights, which were almost the same soft yellow as the sunlight.

The barista, a pretty blonde girl with freckled cheeks and bright green eyes, just closed her phone as the bell above the door announced Nat's arrival. She couldn't have been more than 25, and she smiled brightly. "Henry just told me he was on his way. You must be Natalie!"

Nat smiled nervously. "Yeah. Do the lab techs come here often?"

She shook her head. "Henry comes here after shift everyday and somedays when he doesn't have work. I work morning in this 24-hour joint, and I see Henry everyday. I'm not sure about the others. If they do, neither Henry or I see them."

Natalia smiled. "Is there a story behind how he got your number? Or, vice versa?"

The barista shook her head ruefully. "Put my number on his cup once. He was so nervous when he called, he probably thought I was a serial killer or something. We talk, and we flirt sometimes, but nothing concrete. Oh, my name's Peggy. Peggy Martinelli."

Natalia smiled. "Nice to meet you, Peggy."

|~|

"And so then you know what his excuse was? That his family is Norwegian, and that's how they spell it! 'Funtain water'," David shook his head.

Natalia chuckled, making another covert glance at David Hodges. "Coffee" had turned into a luncheon, Wendy and Mandy bailing out first, claiming beauty sleep as their ticket out, though they had showered Nat with compliments and apologies on their way out. Archie and Henry had done the same ten minutes later, Archie leaving them with, "You two androids might not need sleep, but I am a humble biological," which got Nat to laugh Now, David had finished an anecdote in his series of "Get to Know the CSIs".

"It's official," Natalia said, smiling at nothing in particular. "Las Vegas is nothing like I thought it'd be. I mean, there's still the casinos and strip clubs which I'll avoid like the plague, but I didn't expect the crime lab to be...the way it is. It's a family. That's...different."

David tilted his head in a curious but unreadable expression. "Why? What's Cleveland like?"

Natalia looked at her hands, circled around the coffee mug. "Cold. We come in, do our jobs, and leave. Everyone feels a little overworked and underpaid sometimes, but we all accept it and move on like we're robots without feelings. We were taught to suck it up and carry on." She looked up at him briefly, a sad smile on her lips. "Not much of a team effort kinda place.

"I was never noticed by anyone important, so I'm used to being forgettable. I guess that's what I was thinking, back there when I introduced myself. The less unique I was, the easier it'd be to leave if I ever had to, because no one would remember me anyway."

David slowly set his coffee mug down. "You know... We don't really do these things. The grave shift techs all going to coffee. I mean, the CSI team does it all the time, but...the techs never got along as well. And then you suggested this and...we were a team for this. A team of lab rats, true, but a team. You won't be forgotten easily, Natalia. Not after tonight."

Natalia looked at him quizzically, a tiny smirk tugging at one corner of her mouth. "Hold on; if you guys don't normally do things like this, then why did you tell Wendy that you'd only come if it was, and I quote, 'the usual place'?"

Was Nat seeing things, or was David blushing? "This is _my_ usual place. Wendy also comes here sometimes, and she...found me here one day. We avoid each other like the plague when we're not at work, but we both know we come here often. But now, it's _our_ usual place."

When he'd said "our," Natalia's face colored slightly, and she grinned, embarrassed that she was so happy, but also far too happy to care about appearances. She knew "our" just meant "the lab" but she couldn't help but think "Nat and David." That had a good ring to it, actually.

The sentimental moment was lost, however, when their cellphones chimed in unison. It was Wendy, who asked them, "Are you two still up? Grave shift starts in 3 hours."

Natalia shared a chagrined glance with David, though she didn't feel tired in the least.

"See you at work, David."

"See you, Natalia."

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, Peggy Martinelli is a shameless reference to the beautiful ship Cartinelli, Peggy Carter/Angie Martinelli.


End file.
